Method for fabricating diamond-polished appliques for horology

ABSTRACT

A method for fabricating an applique for horology including a visible upper surface, and a lower surface for resting on a dial or a structure of a timepiece, and at least one foot projecting from the lower surface for attachment to such a dial or such a structure, according to which method, in a first operation, there is provided a profile or bar in which blanks of the feet and of the lower surface are machined, prior to cutting the profile or bar in a second operation, and then re-machining the upper surface, with at least one final diamond-polishing operation, wherein, during the first operation, at least two machining operations are performed in a cross so as to form a blank of each foot with a polygonal contour having facets.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a method for fabricating an applique for horology, comprising an upper surface intended to be seen by a user, and a lower surface for resting on a dial or a structure of a timepiece, and at least one foot projecting from said lower surface, for attachment to such a dial or such a structure, according to which method in a first operation there is provided a profile or bar in which blanks of said feet and of said lower surface are machined, prior to cutting said profile or said bar in a second operation, and then re-machining said upper surface, with at least one final diamond-polishing operation.

The invention also concerns a timepiece dial including at least one applique made by this method.

The invention also concerns a timepiece including at least one such dial and/or a structure carrying at least one applique made by the method.

The invention concerns the field of external timepiece parts and display functions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Timepiece appliques are essential elements of a timepiece, in particular of a watch, helping to give it a specific look. Consequently, they must be very carefully made, very reproducible and free from any surface finish defects. Perfect workmanship is made difficult by the very small size of these esthetical components and by the difficulty in gripping them. Consequently, the scrap rate may be high. Fabrication is even more complex when the appliques are bent or warped to adapt to the curve of a dial, a flange, or a plate, and have no flat reference surface.

Placing appliques on a support, such as a dial or similar, also requires particular precautions to ensure perfect angular orientation, since any orientation fault, even minimal, is immediately visible. Precise manufacture of the feet is therefore vital.

European Patent No 3220208 in the name of NIVAROX_FAR SA discloses an economical method for fabricating a timepiece display or hand component, according to which there is chosen, for making each outer visible surface, a coating material, such as an amorphous metal alloy or nanocrystalline structure alloy or an alloy of gold and/or silver and/or copper and/or rhodium and/or titanium and/or aluminium, a first tool is used to make a thick, hollow blank, of a thickness of more than 20 micrometers, from the coating material, with an excess thickness relative to each outer visible surface, with a first cavity for receiving a frame, an interior material is chosen for making a frame, the frame is made and joined to this first cavity, and at least one remaining visible outer visible surface, is diamond tool machined, removing all or part of the excess thickness from the blank.

European Patent No EP3220209 in the name of NIVAROX_FAR SA discloses an economical method for fabricating a timepiece display or hand component according to which a first material that is easy to shape or machine is selected, a bar stock is made from this first material, there is chosen, for making each outer surface of the component, a second material, which is an amorphous metal alloy or nanocrystalline structure alloy or includes nickel or nickel-phosphorus, or which is a pure metal or an alloy of of gold and/or silver and/or copper and/or rhodium and/or titanium and/or aluminium, this bar stock is covered, at least over the surfaces intended to remain visible on the component, with a thick layer having an initial thickness of more than 20 micrometres, of the second material; and at least one outer surface is diamond tool machined, removing all or part of the thick layer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention proposes to define an applique fabrication method ensuring perfect subsequent positioning of the applique on its support.

To this end, the invention concerns an applique fabrication method according to claim 1.

The invention also concerns a timepiece dial including at least one applique made by this method.

The invention also concerns a timepiece including at least one such dial and/or a structure carrying at least one applique made by the method.

More particularly, this timepiece is a watch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from reading the following detailed description, with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a schematic, side view of a bar at the end of which a first front machining operation is performed.

FIG. 2 represents, in a similar manner to FIG. 1, the same bar rotated by 90° about its longitudinal axis, viewed along arrow F of FIG. 1, and on which a second front machining operation is performed, perpendicular to the preceding operation: the dotted line indicates the previously cut area.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section in the plane of the page of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the same bar, along arrow S of FIG. 3, showing two polygonal feet, here with four lateral faces, resulting from the first machining operation and from the second machining operation performed in a cross.

FIG. 5 is an end detail, showing the journaling of the two feet: on the left into the thickness of the face from which the foot protrudes, and on the right to mid-height.

FIG. 6 is a similar cross-section to that of FIG. 3, passing through the left foot of FIG. 5 and showing the rotational clearance around the journaled foot.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of a tool used to perform the operation of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section of a tool used to perform the operation of FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 represents a cross-sectional view of the positioning, after cutting, of the applique blank thus produced, whose lower surface and feet are finished, in a re-machining tool where the blank is held by its feet, and abuts on its lower surface.

FIG. 10 shows a similar view to FIG. 9 of the blank held in a clamp for re-machining.

FIG. 11 represents a schematic, front view of a dial comprising various cutouts for receiving circular or quadrangular applique feet, and a figure V applique mounted in position.

FIG. 12 represents a schematic front view of a watch comprising an annular structure comprising similar cutouts to those of the dial of FIG. 11, and, at seven o'clock, a similar dial to that of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention concerns a method for fabricating a timepiece applique 100.

An ‘applique’ means any display or decorative element intended to be seen by a user, such as a sign, hour-symbol, numeral, logo, monogram or suchlike, placed on an object, especially a dial, a flange, a plate, a bridge, or suchlike.

Such an applique 100 normally has an upper surface 10 intended to be seen by a user, and a lower surface 2 for resting on a dial or a structure of a timepiece.

If this lower surface 2 can be bonded straight onto such a dial or such a structure it generally has at least one foot 3. Each foot 3 protrudes from this lower surface 2, and more particularly but not exclusively in a particular orientation in space with respect to lower surface 2, in order to be secured to such a dial or such a structure.

The method of the invention includes the following steps:

-   -   in a first operation, providing a profile or a bar 1 in which         blanks of feet 3 and of lower surface 2 are machined,     -   prior to cutting this profile or bar 1 in a second operation,     -   and then re-machining upper surface 10 with at least one final         diamond polishing operation.

According to the invention, in the first operation, at least two machining operations are performed in a cross so as to produce a blank of each foot 3 with a polygonal contour having facets 4, 5, 6, 7.

More particularly, after creating the polygonal contour and prior to performing the final diamond polishing operation, at least one foot 3, and preferably each foot 3, is journaled, to machine a substantially cylindrical surface 8 that is immediately usable for securing applique 100 to its support in the timepiece.

More particularly still, during the journaling of at least one foot 3 and more particularly of each foot 3, a front slot 89 is formed, which is arranged to receive any burrs or lips when applique 100 is fitted onto a dial or a structure in a press fit or interference fit.

More particularly, this journaling is carried out during the first operation, prior to the cutting operation.

In a particular implementation of the invention, during the first operation, a finishing machining operation is performed on lower surface 2. More particularly, this lower surface 2 is made curved.

Indeed, the advantage of the invention is to obtain feet that are parallel over their entire length, even if lower surface 2 is curved, or, generally, has any shaped profile.

More particularly, this finishing machining operation of lower surface 2 is performed by diamond polishing.

In a particular implementation of the invention illustrated by the Figures, during the first operation, two machining operations are performed in a cross at 90° to each other.

It is understood that the journaling operation makes it possible to obtain feet 3 which are circular, and especially cylindrical, of the normal type. However, forming the blank of feet 3 by cross-machining, in the shape of polygonal feet with facets, also provides an intrinsic orientation surface, for unique and precise angular orientation of the applique 100 comprising such a polygonal foot on its support in a timepiece.

The invention also concerns a method for fabricating a timepiece structure assembly comprising at least one applique 100 including a polygonal contour with facets 4, 5, 6, 7, made by the method described above, and at least one structure 301, which is arranged to receive at least one such applique 100. According to the invention, at least one polygonal opening 302 is made in this structure 301, which is arranged to cooperate with a foot 3 having a polygonal contour with facets 4, 5, 6, 7, to ensure the exact angular orientation of the applique 100 concerned, comprising this foot 3, and/or at least one circular opening 303 is made in this structure 301, which is arranged to receive and clamp, at the junctions between its facets, a foot 3 having a polygonal contour with facets 4, 5, 6, 7, and each foot 3 is pressed into such a polygonal opening 302, or such a circular opening 303.

More particularly, at least one said structure 301 is made in the form of a bare dial 200 arranged to receive at least one such applique 100, and there is made on this bare dial 200 at least one polygonal opening 201 arranged to cooperate with a foot 3 having a polygonal contour with facets 4, 5, 6, 7, to ensure the exact angular orientation of the applique 100 comprising this foot 3 and/or there is made on this bare dial 200 at least one circular opening 202 arranged to receive and clamp, at the junctions between its facets, a foot 3 having a polygonal contour with facets 4, 5, 6, 7.

More particularly, said structure assembly is made with at least one said applique 100 having a single said polygonal foot 3.

Electro-erosion, laser or other machining technologies can nowadays make such non-circular openings, which previously could only be made with drilling tools, and were difficult to form precisely by stamping, especially for supports intended to be enamelled or to be provided with any type of coating.

The invention also concerns a timepiece 300 including at least one such structure 301 bearing at least one applique 100 made by the method according to any of the variants described above, and/or at least one such bare dial 200 bearing at least one such applique 100.

More particularly, this timepiece 300 is a watch. 

1. A method for fabricating an applique for horology comprising an upper surface intended to be seen by a user, and a lower surface for resting on a dial or a structure of a timepiece, and at least one foot protruding from said lower surface, for attachment thereof to such a dial or such a structure, according to which method, in a first operation, there is provided a profile or bar wherein blanks of said feet and of said lower surface are machined, prior to cutting said profile or said bar in a second operation, and then re-machining said upper surface, with at least one final diamond-polishing operation, wherein during said first operation at least two machining operations are performed in a cross so as to form a blank of each said foot with a polygonal contour having facets.
 2. The method for fabricating an applique for horology according to claim 1, wherein, after forming said polygonal contour and prior to performing said final diamond polishing operation, each said foot is journaled to machine a substantially cylindrical surface that is immediately usable for attaching said applique to a support in a timepiece.
 3. The method for fabricating an applique for horology according to claim 2, wherein, during the journaling of each said foot, there is made a front slot arranged to receive any burrs or lips when said applique is fitted onto said dial or said structure.
 4. The method for fabricating an applique for horology according to claim 2, wherein said journaling of each said foot is performed during said first operation, prior to said cutting operation.
 5. The method for fabricating an applique for horology according to claim 1, wherein, during said first operation, a finishing machining operation is performed on said lower surface.
 6. The method for fabricating an applique for horology according to claim 5, wherein said lower surface is made curved.
 7. The method for fabricating an applique for horology according to claim 5, wherein said finishing machining operation on said lower surface is performed by diamond polishing.
 8. The method for fabricating an applique for horology according to claim 1, wherein, during said first operation, two machining operations are performed in a cross at 90° to each other.
 9. The method for fabricating a timepiece structure assembly comprising at least one applique having a polygonal contour with facets made by the method according to claim 1, and at least one structure arranged to receive at least one said applique, wherein in said structure at least one polygonal opening arranged to cooperate with said foot having a polygonal contour with facets to ensure the exact angular orientation of said applique comprising said foot, and/or at least one circular opening arranged to receive and clamp, at the junctions between its facets, said foot having a polygonal contour with facets, and wherein each said foot is pressed into said polygonal opening or said circular opening.
 10. The method for fabricating a timepiece structure assembly according to claim 9, wherein there is made at least one said structure in the form of a bare dial arranged to receive at least one said applique, and wherein there is made on said bare dial at least one polygonal opening arranged to cooperate with said foot having a polygonal contour with facets to ensure the exact angular orientation of said applique comprising said foot, and/or at least one circular opening arranged to receive and clamp, at the junctions between its facets, said foot having a polygonal contour with facets.
 11. The method for fabricating a timepiece structure assembly according to claim 9, wherein said structure assembly is made with at least one said applique comprising a single said polygonal foot. 